Brandon Palaniuk Crushes Bassmaster Elite on Lake Okeechobee: Record Catches and a $102,000 Payday

A dominant performance, a historic bag, and a crankbait to the face—Palaniuk claims his sixth Elite trophy.

Palaniuk holds on to the lead at lake Okeechobee for his sixth Bassmaster Elite victory. | B.A.S.S. | Shane Durrance

Brandon Palaniuk’s Historic Bassmaster Elite Victory at Lake Okeechobee

Brandon Palaniuk rode the magical, fading hot spot to victory, claiming his sixth big blue trophy at the Bassmaster Elite on Lake Okeechobee with a four-day total of 95 pounds, 4 ounces.

Brandon Palaniuk earns his sixth big blue Bassmaster Elite trophy with a commanding performance at Lake Okeechobee. | B.A.S.S. | Andy Crawford

“It’s so crazy how things happen for a reason,” Palaniuk said of a very grind-y final day. “This morning, me and (seventh-place Greg DiPalma) were fishing next to one another and I watched him lose several big ones. I hate that and I love it, at the same time. I don’t wish that upon anyone, but if he would have caught those, I would have been sweating bullets.”

How a 34-Pound Bag Secured Palaniuk’s Victory

Palaniuk grabbed the lead on Day 2 with a jaw-dropping 34 pounds, 10 ounces, the heaviest bag in Bassmaster Elite history on Okeechobee. He followed it up with 23 pounds on Semifinal Saturday, extending his lead over second place to 18-3 despite a day filled with lost fish and a crankbait to the face.

On Championship Sunday, the bites were scarce. He managed just 14-3, but it was way more than enough to seal the deal. In fact, Palaniuk could have slept in, hung out at the expo all day, and still would have won. Edging John Garrett by 15-13, Palaniuk secured the $102,000 first prize.

Palaniuk had his slowest day by far, but he had built such a lead that he still won by nearly 16 pounds. | B.A.S.S. | Dalton Tumblin

The Secret Spot: Why the C-41A Canal Was Key to Victory

What was the magical spot? As reported all week, a stretch of the C-41A Canal, a key funnel between deep water and spawning flats, was the inconspicuous spot that four anglers appeared to have found in practice. When they all met there on the first morning, rather than battle it out, they quickly formed a plan to work the area together.

“I think the biggest thing was this spot had deep water and spawning areas nearby,” Palaniuk said. “It allowed those fish to replenish every day.”

Winning Baits: What Palaniuk Used to Dominate the Tournament

Palaniuk cycled through a mix of baits, including a Megabass Kanata jerkbait, a prototype Megabass crankbait, a Megabass Big M 4.0, and a Clutch The Boss glidebait. A Neko-rigged Zoom Magnum Finesse Worm and an XZone Lures Muscle Back Craw punch-rig played backup roles.

Runner-Up John Garrett’s Impressive Comeback

John Garrett weighed in the biggest bag of Championship Sunday to give himself a second place finish on Okeechobee. | B.A.S.S. | Andy Crawford

John Garrett, from Union City, Tenn., finished second with 79-7. After barely cracking the Top 60 on Day 1, he surged with a 22-7 bag on Day 2 and closed strong with 23-5, the biggest bag of Championship Sunday. “This Florida swing has been absolutely unbelievable,” Garrett said.

Kyoya Fujita’s Late Surge to a Third-Place Finish

Kyoya Fujita moved up two more places on Championship Sunday for a third place finish at Okeechobee. | B.A.S.S. | Chase Sansom

I noted on Day 3 that Kyoya Fujita of Japan had made a big move from twentieth to fifth heading into the finals. Today, he managed to move up another two spots to third with 77-4, spending most of his time in the Rim Canal.

“I fished the canal because I practiced in the lake and everything had changed (from his previous visit in 2023),” Fujita said. “I found my fish on Livescope and fished a jighead minnow with a Jackall Driftfry and Deps Sakamata Shad."

David Gaston Lands the Biggest Bass in Elite Okeechobee History

Another Okeechobee Elite record—David Gaston, big bass leader with an 11 pound, 8 ounce freak. | B.A.S.S. | Andy Crawford

It’s probably not a big surprise, but David Gaston’s 11-8 monster from Day 2 held up for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors. It’s the biggest bass ever caught in an Elite event on Okeechobee.

What’s Next for Palaniuk? No Plans to Coast

It's no secret that Palaniuk had a rough season in 2024 and has been very focused on making the 2025 Elite Series different. Reflecting on his newest trophy, Palaniuk said a half dozen Elite victories has stoked his fire for future achievement.

“We’re not done yet,” Palaniuk said. “I’m 15 years into it; I figure I have at least that many more. I feel like we’re just getting started.”